Security vote: Probe President first, Ortom tells EFCC

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Wednesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to begin the probe of President Muhammadu Buhari’s security vote.

Ortom who spoke to journalists after his broadcast said he never heard of where security vote was investigated.

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EFCC had on Monday claimed that it had begun investigation of the Benue State governor, house of assembly members and permanent secretaries.

But Ortom asked, “Why am I being investigated by the EFCC? My records are there. But so far, I am the only governor in Nigeria whose security vote is being investigated by the EFCC.

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“How can you single me out of 36 (governors) for investigation? It (security vote) is not something that any government will begin to disclose. Why should Benue’s case be different if not persecution? If the EFCC wanted a genuine investigation of security vote spending, they should have started from the Presidency and across the 36 states.

“If their focus was on Benue State, they should have started from 1999. But this is not the case. With the enormous security challenges in the state since my assumption of office, it is surprising that any one would expect me to do nothing but keep the security vote in the safe.”

He added, “The security vote spending being investigated spans from 2015 to 2018, a period of grave security challenges in the state. I reiterate that the investigation is a clear case of persecution. I have not misappropriated, diverted or stolen any money. I have nothing to hide. I assure that the investigators can find nothing incriminating against me.”

Speaking on the impeachment move against him, Ortom described it as illegal and said the people behind his impeachment had plotted another move to destabilise the state.

The plan he said was to unleash Fulani militia on the state. He said strange herdsmen and 10,000 cows had already invaded Guma (his country home) and local government area.

Ortom said his council (Guma) Chairman, Anthony Shawon, gave him the information.

“Having failed to achieve their anti-Benue objectives, the next phase is the unleashing of Fulani militia. I have been told that after the Operation Whirl Stroke succeeded in chasing away the herdsmen, they have started moving into Guma again as of yesterday. I have already informed the Commander of OPWS and I hope security agencies will take up the matter